Apparatus for printing spiral stripes



Dec. 18, 1962 J. c. GEMELLI 3,068,338

APPARATUS FOR PRINTING SPIRAL STRIPES Filed Oct. 21', 1960 a Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Jase! C. G'EMELl-l r BY - 1 o dp F4M 1952 J. c. GEMELL! 3,068,838

APPARATUS FOR PRINTING SPIRAL STRIPES Filed Oct. 21, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F l @D:

' 40 INVENTOR.

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3,068,838 APPARATUS FOR PRINTING SPIRAL STRIPES Joseph C. Gemelli, .Ietferson Ave., RED. 1, Norwell, Mass. Filed Oct. 21, 1960, Ser. No. 64,161 4 Claims. (Cl. 118-316) This invention relates to apparatus for applying continuous helical stripes to elongated cylindrical or extruded bodies moving either in a vertical or a horizontal plane.

It is often highly desirable that insulated wires be marked or printed upon. The printing can be simply for decoration, or can be used as a means for identifying the particular wire, as for example, in a wired circuit. Printing wire with identification codes has been practiced for some time. Heretofore, it has been customary to use solid colored insulation, or to print longitudinally extending or intermittently spiral stripes on the wire or colored bands around the wire. These combinations are limited, and uncertain because the identification stripes sometimes cannot be seen.

A continuous spiral stripe would add more code combinations and attempts have been made to produce a wire with one or more such colored spiral stripes. A problem encountered in spiral stripe marking or printing of wire has been the necessity to rotate either the wire or the printing means. If the striping is to be done during the process of manufacture of the wire, it is practically impossible to rotate the wire itself.

The alternative is to rotate the printing means. This rotation must be at a relatively high speed, and it is impossible in practice to carry a sufficient ink supply in the rotating printing member for continuous operation. It has therefore been necessary to provide means for feeding ink from an external supply to the rotating printing head. Heretofore, the problem of supplying ink in this fashion had not been satisfactorily solved d-ue primarily to the difliculties encountered in supplying the inks under sufficient pressure to accommodate high speed production while at the same time isolating inks of various colors one from the other.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide apparatus for printing a plurality of different colored spiral stripes on a moving wire without rotating the wire.

It is another object of my invention to provide apparatus for printing a plurality of difierent colored spiral stripes on moving wire which apparatus has external ink supplies, and has a rotating printing head.

In the practice of my invention, in a preferred embodiment thereof, I employ a cylindrical stator element mounted vertically or horizontally on a base and having a passageway through the center thereof through which the wire to be striped is drawn. A hollow cylindrical rotor element having a rotor head carrying inking nozzles is positioned concentric with and surrounding the stator element and with the wire therefore passing through its center. An ink passage for each inking nozzle is provided in the stator element and also in the rotor element. Separate passages are provided for each inking nozzle in order that each nozzle may be supplied with a different colored ink. Means comprising independent annular passageways between the stator element and rotor element are provided to allow the ink to pass from the several stator passageways into the several associated rotor passages. Seals are provided between annular passageways carrying different colored inks to prevent intermixture of the inks. The nozzles are set back a slight distance from the wire, and when the rotor is rotated at high speed and ink fed into the stator passages under gravity or mechanically forced pressure it is communicated to the nozzles and ejected onto the wire passing between them to produce different colored spiral stripes.

It is a feature of my invention that the ink is fed to the external ink supply to the apparatus.

3,%8,838 Patented Dec. 18, 1962 nozzles under pressure and is ejected onto the wire which is spaced a short distance from the tip of the nozzles.

It is a further feature of my invention that the difierent colored inks are passed from the stator to the rotor by means of independent annular passageways between the two and that seals are provided which prevent intermixing of the difierent inks flowing in the different annular passageways despite the fact that the ink is forced into the annular passageways under substantial pressure.

These and other objects and features of my invention will appear as the description proceeds with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the rotor head showing three nozzles mounted therein;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cutaway view of the apparatus in side elevation showing an inking nozzle in place;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the apparatus showing inking wheels in place;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-section view in side elevation of the apparatus seen in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-section view showing an inking nozzle mounted in the apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of the rotor head along the line 66 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a view in side elevation of an assembly;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing an inking wheel assembly; and

FIG. 9 is a view also similar to FIG. 7 showing an adjustable angle inking wheel in place.

Having reference to the accompanying drawings, for a more particular description of a preferred embodiment inking nozzle generally at 24- is provided through the base 22 and stator 2t) so that a wire 26 may be passed axially through the .stator 26 by means of drive wheels 100. In order to guide the wire 26, which in practice moves upwardly out of the stator 20, a wire. guide member 28 is attached to the top of the stator 20 and surrounds the wire 26.

Ink is supplied under pressure to inking members, hereinafter to be described, through vertical passageways 30 which-are formed by drilling upwardly from the bottom of the stator 29. In practice three such passageways 30 are provided, spaced apart. A connector 32 is fitted at right angles into each passageway 30 near the bottom of the stator 20' to provide means for connecting an A plug 34 is used to close the opening into the vertical passage 30 formed in the bottom of the stator 20. The passageways 30.each

terminate at their upper ends at different horizontal planes.

Where each terminates a horizontal passage 36 is provided connecting the vertical passage 30 with the exterior face of the cylindrical stator 29.

The rotation of the inking members, hereinafter to be described, around the wire 26 is accomplished by means of a cylindrical rotor shell 38 which is rotatably mounted around the stator 20 on bearings 40, 42. A pulley member 44 is formed in the lower end ofthe rotor shell 38 whereby the apparatus may be connected to appropriate driving means. Vertical passageways 46 are formed by drilling down from the top of the rotor shell 38. A passageway 46 is provided for each passageway 30 in the stator 21) and extends downwardly in the rotor shell 38 to that horizontal plane up to which the passageway 30 in the stator 20 extends. A horizontal passage 48 is provided from each passageway 46 to the interior wall of the rotor shell 33. The passage 48 may be formed by drilling through the rotor shell 38 in which case a plug 50 must be inserted in the passageway 48 at the exterior face of the rotor shell 38. The 'advantagejto this form of construction is that the plug 50*, as well as the plug 34, may be removed to facilitate cleaning the passageways. It will be noted that the horizontal passageways 36 arrd48 lie in the same horizontalplane, but are separated by the gap, however slight, which exists between the stator 20 and the rotor shell 38. 7

In order, therefore, to pass the ink from the passage 36 in the stator 20 to the passage 48 tthe rotor shell 38 a series of interiorly disposed annular channel members 52 are positioned between the exterior face of the stator 20 and the interior face of the rotor shell 38. The channel members '52 are secured to the interior face of the rotor shell 38, and are arranged in pairs to produce between them annular passageways 54 aligned to provide means for the ink "to pass from the passages 36 in the stator 20 to the passages-48 in the rotor shell 38 while the rotor shell 38 is in motion. s

The interiorly disposed configuration of the annular channel members 52 is required to provide receiving members for seals between the several annular passages 54, These seals are required in order to prevent the ditferentcolored inks'frorn intermixing. As the apparatus is designed to operate at'high speeds it is necessary to provide a substantial quantity of ink at the inking members, at all times during operation. 'For this reason, the ink issupplied to the apparatusunder substantial pressure. The principal point at which leakage of ink is likely to occur is during its passage through the annular passageways 54. Since the a nular channel members 52 are secured firmly to the interior face of the rotor shell 38 leakage is easily prevented at that point. The annular channel members 2 move with the rotor shell 38,

rhowever and therefore cannot also be securely attached to the exterior wallof the stator 20. Leakage of ink along the exterior wall of the stator 20, therefore, must be prevented. Toaccomplish this, seals are provided by employing a fiat annular seal member 56 of leather or other suitable material. A seal member 56 is positioned in each channel member 52 slightly flexed so that one portion of the'seal member '56 is fiush against the exterior face of the stator 20, an opposite portion being caught in the channel member 52. A spring steel annular pressure member 58 is inserted behind the seal member 56 to keep it firmly against the face of the stator 20, and engaged in the channel member 52.

The seal member 56 is self-sealing because it is positioned'in the channel member 52 so that any ink leaking iout of the associated annular passage 54 will pass around the spring steel pressure member 58 and flow into a cavity 60 formed by the flexure of the seal member 56, thereby adding to the pressure already acting on the seal member 56 to 'press-it firmly against the stator 20 (see FIG. 4). Thus, this particular positioning of the seal member 56 in the channel member 52 results in the escaping ink causing the seal to function more effectively, rather than tending'to'unseatit. a a e p The inking members are positioned in a hollow cylindrical rotor head 62 (see FIG. '6), which is fitted onto the top of therotor shell 38. The rotor head 62 is secured to the rotor shell 38 by three bolts 64 which are spaced between the inking members. An alignment pin :66may be formed in the top face of the rotor shell 38 so that the rotor head 62 may be more easily attached. Three pairs of lateral openings 68, 70 for the inking members and the adjustment screws associated therewith as hereinafter described are provided, equally spaced around therrotor head 62, s

a Two general typesof inking members may be employed in the apparatus; inking tips or inking'wheels. A cylin- .drical holder 72 (see FIGS. 7 and 8) is used to hold an tip 74 or inking wheel 76. The holder 72 is dimensioned to fit securely in the opening 68 provided in the rotor head The position of the holder 72 and associated inking-member relative to the rotor head 62 and to the wire "26 is controlled by a spring loaded screw 75 might be made;

member 78 which engages theopening 70 in the rotor head 62, the opening 70 being provided with cooperating threads. The spring loaded screw member 78 is aligned with the holder 72 by a bracket 80. An opening indicatedgenerally at 82 in the holder 72 allows the ink to flow from the vertical passageway 46 :in the rotor shell 38 through the rotor head 62 to the, interior of the holder 72 where the ink communicates with the inking member.

The flow of ink is controlled by a needle valve assembly 84 (see FIG. 4) operatively positioned in the holder 72. A knob 86 is provided for easy adjustment of the needle valve assembly 84.

If it is not desired to employ inking wheels a special holder 88 may be used (see FIG. 5). The special holder 88 is suitable for use only with inking tips, and is intended for use in a special rotor head 90 which differs from the standard rotor head 62 only in being of somewhat less height andrhaving no opening 70- to receive the spring loaded screw member 78. Adjustmentof the 'inking tip 74 relative to the wire '26 is accomplished by ,a threaded sleeve 92 positioned betweenthe holder 88 and rotor head 90 which may be rotated to move the tip 74 and associated needle valve assembly 94.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: j

The apparatus is mounted so that the wire 26 to be marked passes upwardly through the central passageway 24 in the stator 29. Upon emerging therefrom it is guided through the rotor head 62 by the Wire guide member 28.

The appropriate inking members, for example, Teflon tips 74, are mounted in holders 72 in the rotor head 62. By adjustment of the spring loaded set screws 78 the inking tips 74 are positioned a slight distance from the wire 26 as it passes between them.

The ink supply is connected to'the connectors 32 located toward the bottom of the stator 20. In the llustrated preferred embodiment three different colored spiral stripes may be printed and hence three separate ink supplies Will be employed. The ink can be fed from reservoir 102 to the apparatus by a simple gravity flow system if a sufiicient head of pressure can conveniently be obtained. Preferably, however, pumps are employed to provide the pressure needed to adequately supply the inking tips with ink.

When the ink supply is turned on, the ink flows through the connector 32 into the vertical passage '30 in the stator 20. The ink then llOWs upwards in the vertical passage 30 and into the horizontal passage 36 in the stator 28. From there the ink passesjinto the annular passage 54 formed between the stator 20 and rotor shell 38. When the apparatus is operating, the opening into the horizontal passage '48 in the rotor shell 38 is rapidly moving around the circumference of the annular passage 54 due, to the rotationof the rotor shell 38. The 'ink name an nular passage 54 is, however, under substantial pressure, and therefore a continuous flow of ink out ofthe annular passage 54 into the horizontal passage 48 in the rotor shell 38 is achieved. Thelseal members 56 positioned in the channel members 52 prevent the different colored inks from intermixin g. From the horizontal passage 48 in the rotor shell;38 the is conveyed through the vertical passage 46 to the rotor head 62. It then flows into theholder 72, through the opening 82. By appropriate adjustment of the needlevalveassembly 84 the ink is ejected from the tip 74 across the smallgap tothe wire 26, forming a slight bead thereon. a

The inking tips 74 are caused to rotate by engaging'a driven belt in the pulley member 44. By adjusting the tips, the spacing of the different colored spiral stripes may be adjusted.

It should now be obviousto one skilled in the artthat there are several modifications of my invention which One of these modifications would be to space the inking members in a different fashion around the rotor head. In the preferred embodiment the inking members are spaced 120 apart, and therefore the spiral stripes are equally spaced apart on the Wire. By moving two of the inking members closer together and there fore both further away from the third a different Spiral stripe pattern would be achieved in which two spiral stripes close together would be followed at a greater distance by a single spiral stripe.

Another important aspect of my invention relating to the centrifugal forces present will now be appreciated by those skilled in the art. It will be understood that as the rotor shell 38 turns at high speed, centrifugal force tends to throw the ink outwardly and build up ink pressure in the passageways 46 and 48. This influences the problem presented in several ways. First, it tends to resist the flow of ink to the wire at the ejection point of the nozzles. Second, it resists the ink flow radially inwardly from the opening 82 in the holder 72 to the nozzles 74. Third, it increases ink pressure in the rotor shell 38 and rotor head 62; and fourth, it increases pressure at the seal members 56.

I overcome these undesirable conditions by positioning the horizontal passages 48 in the rotor shell 38 and the annular passageways 54- as close as possible to the center axis of the apparatus. It is to be noted that thereby the ink inlet into the rotor shell 38 is in substantially the same vertical plane as the ink outlet at the inking members. This configuration results in substantially equalizing and balancing the centrifugal forces involved so that they are substantially in balance between the inking member and the horizontal inlet passage 48 into the rotor shell 33.

The seals between the annular passageways 54 are also afiected by centrifugal forces, however, and it is to be noted that the seal members 56 are positioned such that increased pressure in the annular passageways 54 only increases the pressure behind the seal members 56. As has been pointed out above, increased pressure behind the seal member 56 tends not to unseat it, but to seat it more firmly. It should also be noted that placing the seal member 56 as near as possible to the center axis of the apparatus causes the centrifugal forces tending to unseat the seal member 56 to be minimized.

It should further be noted that by ejecting the ink onto the wire, centrifugal force pushing the ink away from the wire is overcome. Once the ink is in place on the wire it is stationary, and since it was ejected onto the wire it is no longer able to flow back into the inking member. Accordingly, I wish it to be specifically understood that this arrangement of ink supply elements employed in my device is designed especially to overcome the centrifugal force problem and that I intend to claim it broadly herein. Also it should be appreciated that a special feature of this arrangement is that substantially the full force of the pressure in the ink line is available at the ejection point of the nozzles whether the axis of rotation is vertical or horizontal and independently of the peripheral velocity of the rotor.

It is, therefore, my intention to cover all changes and modifications of the invention herein chosen for purposes of disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus for continuously applying a multiplicity of spiral stripes to a continuous cylindrical member comprising: a base, an ink applying station on said base, a rotor at said station, means for rotating said rotor, walls in said rotor defining a passage through said rotor along its axis of rotation, means for continuously transporting said cylindrical member through said passage in said rotor at said station, a multiplicity of ink applying nozzles mounted on said rotor, means for supplying ink to said nozzles, sealing means between said ink supplying means whereby inks of different colors may be employed without intermixture, each of said nozzles being spaced substantially the same distance from said cylindrical member, each of said ink supplying means including an inlet, and said inlet and its corresponding nozzle being spaced substantially the same distance from said continuous cy lindrical member whereby centrifugal forces caused by the rotation of said rotor are substantially balanced so as not to disturb the flow of said ink through said ink supplying means, and means for pressurizing said ink supplying means to force said ink through said nozzles and across the space between said cylindrical member and said nozzles under velocity; whereby ink may be applied to cylindrical members at high speed.

2. Apparatus for applying a multiplicity of inked spiral stripes to an insulated wire, comprising: a base, a cylindrical stator element attached to said base; independent passageways within said stator from exterior surface points near the bottom of said stator to exterior surface points nearer the top thereof; a central passageway from the bottom to the top thereof; a wire positioning member attached to the top of said stator in general alignment with said central passageway; a rotor element surrounding said stator element; a plurality of annular interiorly disposed channel members positioned between said rotor and said stator to form annular passageways between said rotor and stator, said annular passageways communicating with said passageways defined in said stator at the said top exterior surface points, and also communicating with passageways in said rotor, said rotor passageways connecting said annular channels independently to points equally spaced apart on the top face of said rotor; a rotor head mounted on said rotor element; sealing means for preventing the intermixture of inks between said annular passageways; means for ap plying ink to an insulated wire mounted in said head in communication with said passageways in said rotor, valving means associated wtih said inking means for controlling the flow of ink into said inking means, and means for driving said rotor whereby ink introduced into the passageways in said stator may communicate through the passageways formed therein to the annular passageways between said stator and said rotor and thence through the passageways in said rotor element to said inking means without miring despite the high speed rotation of the said rotor.

3. Spiral stripe inking apparatus as defined in claim 2, further characterized by said sealing means comprising a circular seal disposed within each said interiorly disposed annular channel, and pressure means for causing said seals to seat firmly against said stator and to engage said annular channels, whereby sealing means for preventing intermixture of different colored inks between said annular passages is provided.

4. Spiral stripe inking apparatus as defined in claim 2, further characterized by said sealing means comprising an annular leather seal member disposed within each said interiorly disposed annular channels and each being flexed to present a first portion firmly abutting said stator element and a second portion firmly engaged in said channel, and pressure means comprising an annular spring steel member positioned in said channel and behind said annular leather seal member whereby said annular leather seal member is held firmly against said stator element and any ink passing out of the associated annular passageway is caused to flow behind said annular leather seal member and thereby increase the pressure holding the said annular leather seal member against the said stator element.

Borgeson May 15, 1956 Stone et al. July 31, 1956 

